What do canned pasta and the Best Location in the Nation have in common? Well, a lot, actually. Clevelander Chef Boyardee (born Ettore Boiardi and known as Hector Boyardee after moving to the United States) found his rhythm right here in Ohio, a state he was not native to but that he effortlessly adopted the culture of. In terms of famous people from Ohio, Chef Boyardee might just top them all! Now a household name, this young chef was nothing more than a boy with big dreams when he arrived in Cleveland… but he found love and success as he cooked up happiness right here in town. His story is often overlooked today, but it is a tale well worth exploring. Heat up a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and get cozy, because this is one story you’ll want to devour.

Chef Boyardee is a brand that makes dinnertime delicious... but many Ohioans are unaware of the connection it shares with our home state.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
Believe it or not, Chef Boyardee was a real person... and he was proud of his brand. You can hear the passion in his voice in his first-ever commercial, uploaded to YouTube by DJBobbyFX:
Born in Piacenza, Italy, in 1897, Ettore Boiardi had a passion for cooking... something he brought with him to the United States when he arrived at Ellis Island.
United States Library of Congress/Wikimedia Commons
Like the people pictured above, Ettore Boiardi was a young immigrant in The Big Apple. At just 16 years old, Boiardi was a young chef. Rumor has it that he played with utensils like whisks as a baby, and he began a cooking apprenticeship at just 11 years of age. As he traveled, he gained cooking experience... but he dreamed of opening his own restaurant one day.
While in NYC, young Ettore worked alongside his brother Paolo at the Plaza Hotel; however, Cleveland was calling his name.
Walter C. Leedy/Postcards of Cleveland Identifier: leedymixed4l168.jpg
Along the way, Ettore (often Americanized to "Hector") worked in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where he catered to the wedding of President Woodrow Wilson. With such prestige already gained, he settled into a career at the Hotel Winton in Cleveland. Ettore married a Clevelander, Helen Wroblewski, who was also working at the hotel as a pantry girl. It was her encouragement that helped him open his restaurant.
Recently married and full of big dreams, Ettore and Helen opened Il Giardino d’Italia and found a bit of success.
Ruggero/FindAGrave
Located at East 9th Street and Woodland Avenue, "The Garden of Italy" was a true taste bud pleaser. Their food was modestly priced, and locals quickly embraced the concept. Following 1885, Little Italy bustled with Italian immigrants, so Italian meals were a local specialty by the time Il Giardino d'Italia opened in 1924. However, there was something different about this eatery... and the secret was in the sauce, so to speak.
Local legend tells that the Boiardi family made such delicious food that patrons frequently asked for samples to take home, which Ettore would provide in rinsed out milk glasses.
FaceMePLS/Flickr
The budding chef would play in an empty spaghetti box while she stirred vats of their famous sauce. They would bottle it, and locals would happily pick some up to enjoy in the comfort of their own home. It was a modest life, and the couple never quarreled. Eventually, they began assembling takeout kits for customers, including instructions for at-home preparation. Clevelanders were obsessed.

Related Stories

Few People Know The Iconic Thinker Statue In Cleveland Was Actually Imported From France

Few People Know The Iconic Thinker Statue In Cleveland Was Actually Imported From France

 Few People Know Cleveland Was Home To One Of The First Shopping Malls In America

Few People Know Cleveland Was Home To One Of The First Shopping Malls In America

 Few People Realize How Much Electrifying History Is Preserved In The Small Town Of Milan, Ohio

Few People Realize How Much Electrifying History Is Preserved In The Small Town Of Milan, Ohio
Times were changing, however, and the brand was starting to outgrow Cleveland.
Gary Brookins/Gerald E. Brookins Collection Identifier: Brookins088.jpg
Locals Maurice Weiner and Carl Colombi helped Ettore find an international distributor for his famously delicious sauce. In 1928, they began to launch their instant-ready food business. They advertised a dinner for three that could be made in under 15 minutes... and it only cost 28 cents, according to a 1994 edition of the Sarasota-Herald Tribune. This affordable business model allowed the company great success in the midst of the Depression, and it afforded struggling American families a delicious meal at a price they could afford.
But then World War II started, and tin rationing was underway. What would become of this beloved brand?
Mike Mozart/Flickr
As it turns out, innovation and dedication would continue to fuel the Boy-ar-dee brand, which was spelled phonetically to help Americans nail down the pronunciation of Ettore Boiardi's family name. As the story goes, Carl Colombi arranged a contract with the U.S. army to make C rations, and soldiers greatly appreciated a familiar and delicious meal while serving overseas.
Boiardi had moved his factory productions to Milton, Pennsylvania during the Depression to be close to tomato fields... and by 1942, the factory was operating nonstop to ensure soldiers would be fed.
Till Westermayer/Flickr
When he wasn't overseeing operations at his factory, Ettore was participating in parades and encouraging support for troops. He made sure his employees understood the important role their factory fulfilled in providing meals to soldiers, and he fostered camaraderie. By the time the war ended, Ettore was awarded The Gold Star, the highest honor granted to civilians.
A true American icon, Ettore wanted to feed friends, family, and the entire world with quality food.
Chef Boyardee Website
Today, that dedication to quality continues. Just as his factory prospered amidst tomato fields and utilized mushrooms grown on-site, the brand today maintains a proud standard. Made with no preservatives or artificial flavors, it is easy to imagine how his now-gone Cleveland restaurant must have seemed to patrons.
The famous chef remained with the brand bearing his family name (despite selling it in 1946) until 1978.
Chef Boyardee Website
Do you remember seeing this smiling face in advertisements? Ettore himself appeared in ads for the brand until 1979, allowing him visibility as the brand continued to serve up smiles.
Over the years, Ettore operated additional restaurants in Cleveland. He spent much of his time residing in Shaker Heights, eventually passing away in a Parma nursing home in 1985 at the age of 87.
t206 honus/FindAGrave
Now eternally resting in All Souls Cemetery over in Chardon, beloved icon Chef Boyardee has made The Buckeye State his permanent home. Today, his legacy continues in the form of his iconic brand, and his picture smiles at passersby as they stroll past cans of ravioli and more in the grocery store. Though now practically a legendary figure, Chef Boyardee is a true tale of the power of the American Dream.

Did you know that Chef Boyardee was from Cleveland? Did you know that this famous Italian American chef was not a cartoon character on a can, but a real person? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Over the years, countless incredible people have found surprising ties to Cleveland. Craving more Cleveland history? Here are some incredible inventions from Cleveland, Ohio, we’re very proud of.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Cleveland Inventions

Sarah M. | December 30, 2022

What are some other inventions from Cleveland?

In addition to the delicious tins of spaghetti created by the iconic Chef Boyardee, here are some other inventions to come out of humble Cleveland, Ohio:

  • The Smoke Hood. Garrett Morgan is arguably one of the most influential Clevelanders of all time. This incredible and groundbreaking thinker created the precursor to the modern traffic light (which he naturally knew the importance of, as he was the first Black Clevelander to own a car) as well as a hair relaxant, and he invested heavily in education despite only having a sixth-grade education himself. While he had numerous inventions over the course of his life, one invention, in particular, has saved thousands of lives. The smoke hood — a device that allowed firefighters to filter air — was cheaper than the era's oxygen masks, and it was surprisingly effective. The device featured a sponge filter and an air tube that stretched down to the floor, and it was used by fire departments and ammonia factory workers around the nation. It gained particular fame on July 24, 1916, when an explosion in a tunnel under Lake Erie trapped dozens of workers. Morgan arrived with his smoke hood and rushed to help. He personally saved nine people that day, making him a hero in addition to a talented inventor.
  • Alkaline Batteries. Alkaline batteries were invented in 1899, but the chemistry of modern alkaline batteries was born in 1957. At that time, Lewis Urry, Paul Marsal, and Karl Kordesch were working at Eveready's Cleveland factory when they invented an incredibly long-lasting alkaline battery. Their patent was granted in 1960, though it wasn't aggressively marketed... at first. The Eveready Alkaline Battery underwent a few rebrands, changing its name a few times until it landed on the now-ubiquitous Energizer Battery.
  • Windshield Wipers. In 1921, Cleveland inventor William M. Folberth partnered with his brother Fred to make a fully automated windshield wiper. This vacuum-powered windshield wiper was groundbreaking, and it was something Tri-Continental Corporation wanted. They filed a patent dispute against Folberth, but it was eventually settled when Trico purchased the Folberth Auto Specialty Co. With this, they obtained the rights to the vacuum-powered windshield wiper, and it went on to take over the market. In fact, it was the standard form of windshield wipers on cars until about 1960! It's amazing that so many Clevelanders, from the Folberth brothers to Alexander Winton, transformed the modern car industry.

Related Articles